Seoul City Announces Four Future Heritage Sites Including Kyobo Bookstore Gwanghwamun Branch and Myeongdong Kyoja Main Branch

A Total of 505 Selected Since First Designation in 2013

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced four newly selected "Seoul Future Heritage" sites this year. On the 28th, it was revealed that all four places?Kyobo Bookstore Gwanghwamun Branch, Myeongdong Kyoja Main Branch, Gungsan Tunnel, and Pyeongsanjae?were newly designated as "Seoul Future Heritage." With the addition of these four sites this year, a total of 505 Seoul Future Heritage sites have been selected since the first designation in 2013.

"Seoul Future Heritage" is a project that selects and supports tangible and intangible heritage sites not designated as cultural assets but deemed valuable to pass on to future generations. The selection process involves a basic status survey proposed by citizens and experts, review by the Future Heritage Preservation Committee, and finally confirmation of the owner's willingness to preserve the site.

This year, a total of 112 cases were considered for Future Heritage review. After a basic status survey by researchers, 29 cases were submitted to the Seoul Future Heritage Preservation Committee. Among them, nine cases passed the review and were selected as final candidates, and four cases with owner consent (Kyobo Bookstore Gwanghwamun Branch, Myeongdong Kyoja Main Branch, Gungsan Tunnel, and Pyeongsanjae) were designated as Seoul Future Heritage.

For the selected "Seoul Future Heritage," a Future Heritage certificate and a plaque are issued, and their value is publicly promoted through mass media and other channels. Since 2018, practical support measures have been implemented to protect Future Heritage sites that struggle to cope with rapid social changes, including small-scale repair cost support and customized promotional material production.

Meanwhile, a survey conducted through the "2022 Seoul Future Heritage Excavation Survey" project targeting 1,000 adult men and women aged 19 to under 70 residing in Seoul showed that 83.3% of citizens responded that the "Seoul Future Heritage project is necessary," confirming positive public perception. The economic value of Future Heritage was estimated at approximately 122.4 billion KRW.

To increase public awareness and accessibility of "Seoul Future Heritage," Seoul plans to produce online content utilizing advanced virtual reality (VR) technology. Additionally, various campaigns such as video and photo contests will be held to enable citizens to directly promote the value of Future Heritage. Furthermore, the currently operated exploration program will be diversified to allow more citizens to participate.

Juyongtae, Head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Culture Headquarters, stated, "'Seoul Future Heritage' is our heritage created and preserved by the 'power of citizens,' based on their voluntary discovery and preservation." He added, "Going forward, we will strengthen promotional content suitable for the digital age so that more citizens can empathize with the purpose of Seoul Future Heritage and nurture it together."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.